Things Are Gonna Change
by VanInBlack
Summary: Hotch and JJ have a talk that opens up the possibility of something more. Written for Huntress79 for the CCOAC Christmas Gift Fic Exchange.


_**A/N: This is my very, very late contribution for the Christmas Gift Fic Exchange on CCOAC. This story was written for **_**Huntress79**_**. The pairing I was given was JJ/Hotch, with the prompts 'O Come All Ye Faithful', gingerbread men, last minute shopping, sleigh ride. After a lot of hardship and fights with my muse I finally (but barely) managed to use three of them. I hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **_

* * *

**Things Are Gonna Change**

The moment he and JJ entered the victims' home, Hotch knew it hadn't been a good choice to send Rossi and Blake to the ME's office instead of going there himself with his blonde colleague.

It was the week before Christmas and everything in that house pointed to a family that had enjoyed preparing for the Holidays together. Half-finished decorations were scattered throughout the family room and there were freshly-baked gingerbread men and Christmas cookies in the kitchen.

The UnSub had killed the whole family, a single mother and her three children. That alone was horrifying. Cases with children involved were the always the hardest ones for the team to handle. However, paired with what was supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year for everyone, but especially for families with kids, it was almost impossible for JJ and Hotch to keep it together.

Worst of all, this family weren't the only victims. There were three more families, all with a single parent and at least one child, whose lives had been erased in the same MO.

Hotch and JJ silently agreed to scan through the house as quickly as possible, or else they would lose it. The reason for that was not only the horror of the crimes and the picture it left, but also the fact that they were very much aware of one thing: These families, these victims, they could very well have been them. They were single parents, too.

"The UnSub surprised them by forcing his way into the kitchen through the backdoor," Hotch noted, taking in the scene in the room. "They were in the middle of baking for Christmas."

The display on the kitchen table and counter indicated that the children were probably working on the finishing touches to the cookies and the gingerbread men and houses.

"Henry and I were just-" JJ pressed her fist to her mouth to keep a sob from escaping, then ran out through the broken back door.

She had to get some fresh air, or else she'd suffocate.

Hotch followed her outside.

"JJ?" He came to stand next to her where she steadied herself against the garage door.

"I'm okay, Hotch. Just give me a minute."

"Take all the time you need."

She took a few deep breaths and then turned to face him.

"Better?" He asked, his voice and expression filled with concern.

JJ nodded, but he didn't seem convinced.

"Why don't you wait in the car? I can finish this up by myself," he suggested gently.

"No, it's okay. It was just… Henry and I, we baked gingerbread men just last weekend. I just can't imagine…" Her voice trailed off.

Hotch nodded. He fully understood, having done the very same thing with Jack just yesterday.

"Come on," JJ then said resolutely. "The sooner we get going, the sooner we're out of here."

.~.~.

By the time they came back to their hotel in the evening, the team had given the local police a preliminary profile to work on and were hopeful to be catching the killer within the next couple of days and then make it back home in time for Christmas.

The scene at the family's house this morning didn't leave Hotch alone, and he knew it was the same for JJ.

He decided to go over to her room and see if she needed him to lend her an ear. She didn't open the door and he briefly wondered if she was already asleep or just didn't want to see anyone, but then came to the conclusion that she could also be with Reid.

With a slight sting of jealousy, Hotch noted that she and their resident genius had grown close again after their fallout over Prentiss' supposed 'death'. It had taken a while for them to get back to normal and Hotch was sincerely happy for them to have reconciled, but he couldn't help but envy Spencer for his friendship with JJ.

True, he and JJ had also bonded over the years. It came naturally over reviewing cases together and deciding which one to take next, over the fact that they were both parents and most recently over the secret of Emily's faked demise.

But there were moments, quite a number of them lately, that Hotch wished for the two of them to become more than just friends.

He knew, however that that was just wishful thinking. Work alone would make things very complicated with her being his subordinate. And then there was this tiny little fact of her being married.

Or so he thought.

When JJ didn't open her door after he'd knocked a second time just to make sure she really wasn't inside, he decided to go out for a short walk to clear his head before going to bed.

Much to his surprise, he found her sitting in one of the lounge chairs in front of the huge Christmas tree of the hotel lobby, staring into space.

"Mind if I join you?"

JJ snapped out of her thoughts, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Not at all," she answered with a gentle smile.

They sat in silence and looked at the tree for a few moments. Gentle tunes of 'O Come All Ye Faithful' filled the air, and as much as the case had put a dent into their Christmas spirit, the peaceful atmosphere in the lobby managed to restore parts of it.

"Do you ever wonder if we're doing enough?" JJ finally broke the silence. "To catch the bad guys, I mean."

"All the time," Hotch replied. "And I always end up at the same point. Enough doesn't exist. There will always be another UnSub, another criminal tormenting innocent lives."

"It's frustrating," JJ agreed with a sigh.

"It is," he nodded. "But for every life taken we save hundreds of them by taking the criminal off the streets. That alone is enough motivation for me to keep going."

JJ agreed and they both fell silent again.

"Will's gone," she then said out of the blue.

"Huh?" Hotch wasn't sure if he'd heard her correctly.

"I found out he was cheating on me with his new partner and that he had been cheating on me with his old partner, too. You know, the one that got killed by the bank robbers back in May, right before our wedding. We're getting divorced."

"JJ-" Hotch started but didn't quite know what to say. He knew he shouldn't feel elated that she was suddenly available again, but he couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry," he managed to press out.

"Don't be," JJ said matter-of-factly. "I'm not. Not anymore. I was angry at first. Beyond pissed with him, in fact. But then I realized that my heart hadn't been in this marriage for a long time. It probably never was."

It took Hotch a few moments to digest this news.

"Do you need any help with anything?" He eventually offered.

"No, not at the moment. Dave already helped Henry and me find a new place and get settled," JJ shook her head.

"Rossi?" Now that was another surprise.

Hotch knew Dave was the go-to person for everyone on the team, including himself, but still, he'd rather expected JJ to ask Reid or Garcia for help. He just couldn't believe that his best friend has been able to keep news like this from him.

"Yes, Rossi," JJ chuckled. "How many Dave's do we both know? You got a problem with that?"

"No, no, of course not," Hotch quickly replied. "I mean, I'm just surprised. I guess I figured you'd maybe go to Reid or Garcia first."

"They don't know about our split yet. In fact, besides Dave, you're the only one I've told so far. It all happened very recently. I only went to Dave, because of his, how shall I put it, experience with divorce lawyers."

Hotch laughed out.

"He referred me to his divorce attorney and then set us up with a great deal for a new house and Henry and I were actually able to move in within a week."

Hotch chuckled in understanding. Rossi definitely was a miracle worker sometimes, he himself could attest to that.

"Anyway, I haven't found the right moment to tell the others yet. You know how they get, especially Garcia. I really don't need them fussing over me so shortly before Christmas, or probably even abandon their Holiday plans for me. Henry and I are fine alone."

He could understand that.

It was the very same reason he had yet to tell everyone about his own break-up with Beth. Everyone except for Dave, of course.

"So Will is definitely out of the picture?"

JJ nodded.

"He's going back to New Orleans in January. I'm getting full custody of Henry and we'll probably arrange for them to see each other one weekend a month, or every other month."

"Idiot," Hotch muttered.

"My sentiments exactly."

"How's Henry taking it?"

"So-so. He misses his father, of course. But I'm sure he'll bounce back. He has a few friends in pre-school whose parents are separated as well, and I think he's already benefitted from that."

"That's good to hear. You know what, maybe we should get our boys together for a play-date more often?"

JJ smiled at his suggestion.

"Yeah, that would be great. Henry loves spending time with Jack."

Another brief moment of silence followed.

"So, are you and Jack going to see Beth over Christmas?" JJ asked after a couple of seconds, changing the subject.

"Ah, no," Hotch answered slowly. He realized that it was now time for him to confess. "We broke up."

"What? When?"

"A while ago. We both realized that long-distance wasn't what we wanted. We're better off as just friends."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Now it's my turn to say, you don't have to be. It wasn't going to work out either way." _Not when I've had feelings for you for the longest time,_ he added in his head.

Then he realized that for the first time in all the years they'd known each other, they were both single at the same time.

_Wait a minute_. The wheels in his head began to turn.

Should he see this as a window of opportunity? Should he take that chance? Did he even stand a chance with her?

He could at least try and find out if she had feelings for him, too. If yes, then maybe all the other complications would work themselves out.

"What are you and Henry doing for Christmas?" He asked before his mind had even come up with a plan.

"We'll spend the Holidays at home. My mother's flying in on Christmas Day in the early afternoon."

"What do you say about celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day morning with me and Jack? The boys could open their presents together," Hotch suggested.

JJ seemed a bit surprised by the offer at first, but after a moment's contemplation she broke into a huge smile that touched him deep inside.

"That'd be great!" She said happily. "I mean, if it really isn't an inconvenience."

"I wouldn't have asked if it were." Hotch found himself smiling widely as well, and all of a sudden, everything seemed lighter.

He would have enjoyed his Christmas alone with Jack, too, no doubt about that, but deep down he had a feeling that this was beginning of something wonderful.

Even though it meant going on a last minute Christmas shopping spree for JJ and Henry once they were back home. For there was one thing he knew for sure: JJ and Henry were worth every effort he had to make.

_~The end~_


End file.
